Big Horn Basin home to many state football champs

Together, Lovell, Byron, Cowley, Deaver-Frannie and Rocky Mountain have played in 28 state football championship games, compiling a combined record of 15 wins and 13 losses

With Thermopolis falling to Big Horn in the Class 2A semifinals and Rocky Mountain losing to Sundance in the Class 1A nine-man semifinals, just two Big Horn Basin teams remain in the hunt for state football championships.

Burlington and Cody will both have a chance to bring home state championship trophies from Laramie this weekend. Burlington is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the Class 1A six-man championship game. Cody is playing in its seventh straight Class 3A title game, including its fifth consecutive matchup against Star Valley.

For the stat lovers, here is a historical look at how Big Horn Basin football programs have fared in Wyoming state championship competition.

Wyoming has recognized high school football state champions since 1921, a history spanning 105 seasons. But those championships haven’t always been decided on the football field.

During 25 of those seasons, no official state championship games were played. Instead, champions were determined through rankings, polls or consensus. Those periods included 1921–1930 (10 seasons), 1939–1947 (9 seasons) and 1962–1967 (6 seasons). In some other years, certain classifications used polls while others played championship games.

Over those 105 seasons, Big Horn Basin schools have captured 62 state football championships across 13 programs. Of those titles, 51 were won in championship games, while 11 were awarded through polls or consensus rankings.

Basin teams have made 96 appearances in state championship games, compiling a combined record of 51 wins and 45 losses.

The historical rankings below include all recognized state championships, while the win-loss records reflect only championship games actually played. Former schools are listed separately from the programs that succeeded them.

Eight Interesting Big Horn Basin Football Facts

1. Worland is the championship king. The Warriors lead with 14 titles, including five consecutive championship-game victories from 1952 through 1956. They also won three straight titles from 2001 to 2003.

2. Byron has the best championship-game winning percentage. The former Eagles program went 7–1 in title games, an impressive 87.5% winning percentage. Its only championship-game loss came against Shoshoni in 1959.

3. Cody has appeared in more championship games than any other Basin school. The Broncs have reached 17 finals, winning seven and losing nine. Remarkably, Star Valley has defeated Cody in four straight championship games from 2022 through 2025.

4. Burlington has reached five consecutive championship games. The Huskies played for the six-man title every year from 2022 through 2025, winning the 2023 championship over Snake River 42–39.

5. Thermopolis twice denied Lovell a championship in consecutive years. The Bobcats defeated the Bulldogs 21–20 in overtime in 1990, then beat them 6–0 in 1991. Thermopolis completed a three-peat in 1992.

6. Cody won one of the most dramatic championship games in Wyoming history. In 1976, the Broncs defeated Laramie 41–40 in triple overtime to capture the Class AA championship.

7. The former Byron, Cowley and Deaver-Frannie programs, combined with Rocky Mountain, have 16 state championships. That includes 12 championships earned by the former schools and four by Rocky Mountain after consolidation.

8. Six of Lovell’s seven state championship game losses have been decided by seven points or fewer, including four heartbreaking defeats by just one or two points.

A Few More Noteworthy Numbers

Most championship-game victories: Worland, 10.

Most championship-game losses: Cody, 9.

Most appearances without a winning championship-game record: Cody, 16 appearances (7–9).

Most recent Basin football title: Burlington, 2023.

Most recent Basin 11-man football title: Cody, 2021.

Longest title drought among active championship-winning Basin programs: Greybull, whose only championship came in 1960.

Only currently active Big Horn Basin program listed with no championship: Ten Sleep.

1921–2025 | Ranked by total state championships

School State titles Title-game record Championship years

Worland 14 10–4 1924*, 1925*, 1926*, 1927*, 1952–56, 1959, 1989, 2001–03

Byron 9 7–1 1948, 1949, 1951, 1956–58, 1960, 1965*, 1968*

Powell 8 6–4 1957, 1966*, 1967*, 1987, 2006, 2011–13

Thermopolis 8 6–4 1928*, 1929*, 1932, 1990–92, 2009–10

Cody 7 7–9 1958, 1976, 1991, 2014, 2017, 2020–21

Rocky Mountain 4 4–3 1992, 1995, 1997–98

Burlington 3 3–5 1992, 1994, 2023

Cowley 2 2–2 1950, 1955

Lovell 2 2–7 1987, 2011

Meeteetse 2 2–3 1993, 2013

Deaver-Frannie 1 0–0 1971*

Greybull 1 1–2 1960

Riverside 1 1–1 2007

Ten Sleep 0 0–0 None

Basin 0 0–0 None

Manderson-Hyattville 0 0–0 None

* Poll or consensus championship, not a championship-game victory.

(Byron, Cowley and Deaver Frannie are now part of Rocky Mountain. Basin, Manderson-Hyattville are now part of Riverside.)